Aftermath
by ByakBlade
Summary: Six months have passed since the crisis in Oblivia, and it finally seems life is turning back to normal for the Rangers. But little do they know and old threat, long thought dead, is lurking in the shadows. When one of their own is kidnapped with out a trace, it's a race against the clock to save her before it's too late.
1. Chapter 1

Leanne sighed and placed down the barrette she had been toying with for the past half hour. Looking in to the mirror she studied her reflection, a thin face framed by straight blue hair that curled slightly at the end. Most of the time her hair was very manageable, never really given her much trouble in the morning. That was until she actually needed to do something special to it. Pushing a lock of cyan hair behind her ear Leanne decided it looked fine.

"_Not like anyone that's going to be there cares what you look like." _She mused silently as she walked a way from the mirror and dresser. _"All they really care about how well you know your stuff, which is something I agree to completely."_ And hopefully she did, thought Leanne nervously. She was still in shock that she had been invited to attend a major conference in Shino because of her work on decoding the invoiths in the Oblivia region.

Crossing the room she walked to the bed where she had left her suitcase earlier that morning. It was worn and tattered with the letters 'Prof. L. J Talga' on the front in black letters. Smiling slightly she undid the silver clasps and opened it.

Inside the suitcase was crammed with a variety of objects. _"Documents, pens, jeans, socks…" _Going down a mental list she shifted through the mass of necessities. Finding what she was looking for between a folder and a t-shirt she pulled out a thin, folded sheet of paper. Unfolding the letter Leanne began to reread the bold, black words that she had started to memorize.

'Dear Leanne J. Talga, we are pleased to inform you that you have been invited to attend the next N.A.O.A.H (National association of Archeology and History) conference in Snowpoint city of the Shino region. Your work in decoding and understanding involiths in the region of Oblivia impressed many of the senior members of the association and we would like to meet you and hear your theories concerning this subject. If you are interested in attending please contact us two weeks prior to the meeting.'

Leanne's heartbeat quickened as she read the letter. She was actually going! Finally a real conference, not at all like the small local ones she had gone to in the past. Folding the paper up she placed it back in to the folder before she suddenly heard a voice speak from behind.

"You all most done sweetheart?"

Startled she spun around and saw a well-muscled man in his late twenties or early thirties leaning against the door. He wore a well-fitted, classic ranger's uniform, uncombed black hair that stuck up at all angles, and scruffy bread in desperate need of a shave. His dark eyes twinkled with amusement at the bluenet's reaction.

"RAND!" Leanne shouted with relief and anger pushing off a flash back of a rather sinister looking man with purple hair. "Do _not _do that again!"

In response to the scolding Rand just offered a lopsided grin that melted most of her anger away. "Sorry I couldn't resist!" This earned him an eye roll from his wife as she turned back to her suitcase. The ranger walked over to where she was standing and sat on the bed next to her. Propping an elbow on the bedpost and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. "You look great, love." He commented lightly as he watched her reorganize the mess in the suitcase.

Leanne smiled at his complement-she knew she didn't look all too impressive-just a dark navy blazer and skirt as her attire was not at very stunning. But never the less Rand's words made the tips of her ears turn red.

"Thanks," Leanne said with a grin and arched her eyebrow playfully. "Now do you need something or are you just here to be annoying?"

Swinging his foot lightly against the frame of the bed, Rand just shrugged. "You never find me annoying," ignoring the disbelieving snort from his wife he continued. "Murph just called, he'll be here soon to pick you up." Rand watched her nod and shifted uncomfortably. "Are you sure you should be doing this?"

Biting her lip Leanne looked at her husband, feeling a stab of guilt. That was the only thing that was damping her excitement of going to the conference; she'd be leaving her family for a whole week. Seven days in a different region without her daughter and husband. Taking a deep breath she pushed back the suitcase and sat beside Rand on the bed. "Rand… We've talked about this," she slipped her hand down his; feeling him relax at the touch and intertwined their fingers. "I don't want to leave you and Nema, but I have a responsibility as a Archeologist, it's my_ job_ to make sure that if I find something-anything-I have to share it with the rest of the world." She felt his grip tighten.

Rand looked down at their joined hands and ran his thumb over her knuckles. "I-I know Leanne, I know. But if something happened to you like with Purple eyes." He trailed off, tracing swirls on the back of her hand.

There he said his name, the name of the man-no beast- that had kidnapped her and her daughter. Leaving Rand near death after trying to fight them, using her little Nema as bait for Leanne to break down and give him the information about Zapdos. Her breath hitched remembering how close Purple Eyes had gotten to her, the sour smell of his breath as he griped her hips…

Leanne slammed her eyes shut; no he was gone for good. There was no need to play back those nightmares in her head now. Keeping her eyes closed she muttered softly. "He's gone now Rand, Mewtwo sent him away." Carefully she rested her chin on his shoulder feeling the rough fabric of the uniform and the calming rise and fall of his breathing. "And thank God it brought you back…" Sighing she smelt a distinct sent of laundry detergent and coffee, it was so purely _him_. Rand said nothing but gently let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, the other feel naturally to her knee; while Leanne's slipped around his neck. The two clung to each other in mutual understanding. Rand gently rocked her back and forth before muttering into her ear.

"You should go say goodbye to Nema, she's going to miss you." Leanne nodded against his shoulder and slowly pulled away from his embrace.

"Could you take my stuff downstairs while I go see her?" She asked quietly and watched him nod in response. Smiling Leanne lent forward and pressed her lips to the stubble on his chin, before leaving the bedroom.

The corridor outside their room was much brighter than her bedroom; light reflecting in soft pools along the hardwood floors from the large windowsill gave a warm feeling to the house. Turning to the right Leanne walked down the hallway to the nearest door, hesitating slightly she raised her hand and knocked.

"Come in," came a muffled reply from inside. Pushing the door open she peered inside. The room was rather plain with light blue painted walls and white carpet with a matching blue and white bed. On the bed a six or seven year-old girl sat wearing a bright, multicolored sweater, jean cutoffs and red wired-rimmed glasses. The girl was holding a screwdriver and the remains of what Leanne assumed was a watch.

"Hi Mom," the girl said quietly as she glanced up from her work. "Do want something?"

Leanne shook her head. "I just came by to see you, Nema." Quickly the girl looked back down at her watch.

"Oh… Does that mean your leaving now?" Nema asked in a tone that broke her mother's heart. In two quick strides Leanne crossed the room and sat beside her daughter, carefully avoiding the watch pieces.

Brushing a lock of cyan colored hair identical to her own from Nema's face she began in a quite tone. "Not right now, but soon." She watched her give a small nod and felt another pang of guilt. "I'm so sorry sweetheart."

"You shouldn't be sorry Mom, you deserve this," Nema said. "I'm really proud of you-honestly-I just wish you wouldn't be gone for so long…"

Leanne frowned and pulled her daughter in to a hug, which she returned. "It's only for a week and you'll have your father with you the whole time." The girl held tighter on to her mother and nodded. She pulled away and looked down at her face. "Let's go down stairs, Murph will be here soon."

Nema stood up from the bed and walked out the room, knocking a few gears onto the ground. Silently Leanne bent down and picked up the scattered pieces and placed them back on the bed. She was really going to miss being in this room at night to tuck her daughter in, working in her study or just sitting on the couch watching TV with her husband. Sighing she walked out of the room and closed the door, it was too late to turn back now. For a moment Leanne just stood on the balcony and leant against the banister. From this height she could see Rand and Nema walking down the stairs. Rand looked up from where he was placing down her suitcase to see his daughter leaping from the last step. He smiled widely at Nema sweeping her into a hug and spun her around. Hearing her daughter and husband's laughing sent waves of warmth from her heart, she was so lucky to have them both in her life.

* * *

_At the Ranger Union_

"Ben for the fifth time can you _stop _that?" A rather irritated young woman wearing a ranger' s uniform snapped to her partner who was pacing in front of her.

The man stoped in his tracks and rubbed his brown eyes which were swollen with lack of sleep. "Sorry Summer." He mumbled before taking a seat in front of the girl.

Summer just huffed and turned back to the large binder filled with paperwork in front of her. "Pacing in circles will not help us solve this damned case," she said idely, resuming her search for a certain document.

Ben sighed and nestled his head in his arms, to tired to argue with her. "Neither will staying awake for twenty-five hours strait."

His partner narrowed her eyes at him but decided against pursuing that argument. "We can sleep when we finally make some progress."

"You said that four hours ago!"

"The Union assigned us this mission _because _it's difficult, we should take this as an opportunity to prove to them that we are capable of harder missions instead of doing the same mundane patrols everyday." Summer said through pursed lips, obviously as exhausted as Ben was.

"We need to get some sleep, you get grumpy when you're tired," he said looking up at his partner pleadingly.

"I'm not grumpy." She said crossing her arms.

"_Summer." _Ben said in a low whine that he knew would crack Summer's attitude.

"Fine," she said leaning back dramatically into her chair. She hated to give into Ben but she was just as tired as he was and Arceus knew she need sleep. "But I excepte you to be back here no later than eight, understood?"

"Deal!" Ben stood up clumsily, bumbing into the desk and nearly falling down. Rolling her eyes, Summer followed her partner out the tiny, cramped office they shared. The hallways were vastly more hot then inside the office, and Summer absent-mindedly pulled at the collar of her uniform.

"I wish they'd fix the air-conditioning, it's stifling here." She muttered while wondering after Ben.

"It's just an other thing they'll never get around to."

Summer snorted. "Incredibly optimistic aren't we?"

"I'm just being realistic," said Ben with a defensive shrug. "The water cooler in the lounge has be broken for months."

As much as he liked being a higher ranked Ranger here in the Union, something seemed to be missing. It wasn't adequate cooling systems or more sleep, it was something he only found once during his post in Oblivia.

"I miss Oblivia." Ben said quietly. His partner looked over her shoulder in surprise.

"Where's this coming from all of a sudden?"

He shrugged and looked out the window to they're left, it was dark and he could only see his reflection on the glass. "I miss being in the action, making an actual _difference _in people's life's. Instead of being cooped up in an office doing paperwork."

Summer sighed and rubbed her temples. "We don't get to choose where the Union needs us to be."

"I know I just miss it. Murph, Nema, Rand, Leanne... all of them."

Summer sighed and gave a small smile to her partner. "We'll see them again, I'm sure we will."


	2. Chapter 2

_Oblivia_

Leanne stepped down from the porch with her suitcase clutched tightly in her right hand, she waved to the black jeep as pulled into the lawn of their house. Parking the jeep a rather plump man with mousy brown hair emerged from car. Stepping forward to greet him, she quickly gave him a one-armed hug.

"It's good to see you Murph!" Leanne said to the man named Murph, who happily returned the hug but gave a nervous glance to her husband who was standing behind them. The ranger just smiled to Murph not taking any offensive and held out his hand for him when the man let go of his wife.

"It's been a while, how's things going at the Union?" Rand inquired as he shook his hand in a greeting.

"Oh, hectic as always, Professor Hasting is keeping me busy for sure!" Murph chuckled. "Suppose that's a good thing though."

"That's debatable." The ranger mused as he remembered his own experience with the prickly scientist. "So you here to Leanne away with you to Shino?" He asked arching an eyebrow. Murph quickly reddened.

The man began to stutter. "No sir! W-Well yes, well I'm meaning not like that!" Rand just grinned looking from the Union worker to a slightly blushing Leanne.

"Just teasing Murph! Are you leaving now?"

The man who was still regaining his composure nodded. "Yes, in fact I'll take your luggage and put in the trunk." Ignoring a protest from Leanne, Murph pulled her suitcase from her hand and quickly hurried down to the car.

Leanne turned to her husband giving an accusatory glance. "You didn't need to tease him like that!" She scolded while crossing her arms. Rand just offered that same lopsided grin that she was so fond of.

"Sorry Le, just trying to lighten the mood." The man said with a shrug, before his smile faded. "Do think I offended him?"

Leanne sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. As much as she loved her husband, he had a thick skull. "Rand, you're so… Dense." Lifting her hand from her face and placed it on Rand's chest. She couldn't feel his skin through the thick fabric of the uniform, but she could feel the steady pounding of his heart. Keeping her right hand on his heart, Leanne slid her other up his chest and gently pulled Rand closer to her by his collar. "Arceus, please don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

Rand, who had stayed motionless through this exchange spoke in a low, husky voice. "I wont if you don't." Carefully he gripped her waist, feeling her body heat through the cotton of her suit. "Deal?"

"Deal." Leanne murmured as her breath hitched, her hands clasped around his collar. Leaning forward, Rand gently slipped his mouth around his wife's bottom lip. A warm tingle grew in her stomach at the kiss; Rand was always so soft and caring about her, never driven by lust or the thirst to pleasure himself. Each kiss like the first the shared so many years ago.

"Ewww!" Came the slightly disturbed yell from their daughter, who dramatically covered her eyes. Leanne smiled in to their kiss and deepened to embarse Nema more. Nema gagged pretended to vomit.

Pulling away gently, Rand mumbled against her lips. "You should go."

* * *

_Ranger Union_

Keeping his promise to his partner, Ben arrived at their office exactly at eight the next morning, opening a package of pretzels that he had bought from the vending machine. Ukulele Pichu sat by his by his foot, strumming on his wooden instrument, making high pitched warblers that sounded faintly like singing. Summer was conveniently late. He popped a pretzel into his mouth and watched the busy corridors of the Union.

A young apprentice ranger was running down the halls after a Pikachu that he assumed to be the boy's partner pokemon. Ben smiled, remembering his own days as a low-ranking ranger, feeling like the whole world was ahead of him.

Suddenly out of his peripheral vision he saw the familiar figure of Summer. Her brown hair was unbrushed and sticking out at odd ends. In right hand she was holding her customary red binder filled with the notes of their cases.

"Morning, you're late."

"Oh shut up, I slept through my alarm clock." Summer growled in her tradition morning mood. Balancing the binder she took out her keys and unlocked the door.

Bounding into the room behind his partner, Ben decided to poke the Ursaring. "You see _this _is why we shouldn't work until one in the morning."

"Shut. Up. Before I kick you."

Ben smiled wider, their relationship was slightly bipolar at the best of times but he found her grumpy demeanor amusing. He sat at his respected chair a crossed from Summer's, leaning into the back of the wooden chair.

"Any new leads?" He asked.

Summer nodded, sorting through the documents and pulling one out. "The local Pokemon Center's security camera caught the man who robbed the Pokemon trainer on tape." She handed him a grey-and-white photocopy of a tall man with rather long hair. "The lab says he's roughly six feet."

Studying the photo, Ben couldn't help but feel there's something familiar about the man, but he couldn't quite place it. He rubbed the left side of his temple, a habit he has picked up from his partner.

"Dang it, why didn't they had color cameras in the Center?

"Because the world is conspiring against us," Summer said with a shrug, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Does this man look at all familiar to you?" Ben asked taping the photograph with the tip of his fingernail. His partner looked over and gave an other shrug of her shoulders.

"I don't know, everyone looks the same when they've been taken with a crappy video camera."

"I guess," said Ben unconvinced. "Hey Summer, do you mind if I go down to the lab and look through the archives for a match?"

She looked up briefly at him and made a guttural noise of approval. "Sure, if you want to fight that losing battle."

"And you say _I'm_ the pessimist." He shot back with a with a teasing tone, his partner just smiled slightly and shook her head as he left.


	3. Chapter 3

Fridged ocean breeze blew through Leanne's hair, smelling strongly of salt, even though it was summer the waters near Snowpoint City were cold. She leant against the helm of the ship, watching Wingulls fly lazily above the horizon. In the several years Leanne had lived in Oblivia she had only ridden on a boat four times, each time on the Union, never once on a ship like the one she was on now. Murph had explained to her that the Union had taken a beating in its last mission, and a small metal boat had been sent in its place. Murph was still acting as her ambassador since the Ranger Union had taken an interest into her work as well. She had to say she much prefered the mammoth wooden boat to the this modern one.

Behind her, Murph walked up to her side, uncertainty. "We're-uh-almost at Snowpoint," he said, awkwardly scratching his neck and avoiding her gaze. "We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Thank you Murph." Leanne said with a soft smile. She could of guessed that fact with the silhouette of the city in the distance, but she saw no reason to point that out to the already nervous man. "It's been quite awhile since I've been here."

"You were born there, right?"

Leanne nodded, the edges of her lips curling up into a fond smile. "Yeah, the last time I was here, Rand and I where getting married." Her stomach twisted with guilt at the sound of her husband's name.

Suddenly a shout came from behind them and Leanne turned around from the metal railing.

"Don't worry," Murph reassured her. "Its just the driver, where going to be docking soon. You should get your stuff."

Leanne nodded and looked around on the small speedboat for her suitcase, adjusting to the suddenly slower pace of the boat. Once her possessions were securely into her hand, Leanne stepped lightly to the other side. The boat pulled lazily over to a wooden dock and the sailor, a heavy-set man with a dark black beard emerged from behind the wheel. He lent down and grabbed a rope lying in the belly of the boat and tied to a post.

"After you miss." The sailor said holding out his hand for her. Leanne smiled in appreciation and took his hand for balance while stepping over the edge to the dock. Murph followed after her but the sailor pointedly retracted his hand, showing that his previous actions might not have been out of kindness. The poor man floundered for a moment then reached out to grasped the nearest thing for balance, which happened to be Leanne' s face and shoulder. Once Murph had landed safely on the dock and retracted his hand, blushing furiously.

"Um-I'm so sorry Mrs. Talga." He said before reaching into his pocket and pulled out a small plastic square. "Here's your hotel key, you should head there before the first conference."

Leanne smiled, trying to diffuse the tension. "Thank you Murph." She said accepting the card.

_Later that evening._

Leanne had finally reached her hotel room after a half an hour of wondering the frosty streets of Snowpoint. Thankfully it hadn't snow in sometime but nonetheless she still wish she had worn something heavier than her bussnis suit.

Standing at the windowsill, Leanne watched the quite night streets of Snowpoint. Absent-mindedly twisting the silver wedding ring on her left hand, she could help but have memories of her childhood arise from the depths of her brain.

A noise that sounded like someone bumbing into a table came from behind her. Leanne whipped around in the inky darkness of the room, trying to located the origin of the sound. A shadow seemed to move in the corner of the room, almost like it was approaching her. With her heart racing, Leanne quietly crept to the door. She placed her hand on the brass knob of the door, she started to open it. Someone was defiantly in her room and she needed _out._

Suddenly a pair of hands materialized from the dark and grabbed her. Leanne screamed and flailed against her oppressor, her muscles taunt and coming alive with adrenalin. One of the hands clasped against her mouth with a sweet-smelling cloth to stifle her yells. The clothes was sickeningly sweet and caused Leanne' s brain to become hazey.

Leanne gave one last pitiful twist of her body in attempted to escape, but she felt her head become more and more cloudy and her limbs heavy. Then there was a hollow silence.

_Unkown_

The man lifted Leanne into his arms, grunting in the process. She was light but her long limbs made it difficult to carry her. He had about an hour until the anesthesia wore off to transport her to his hole-in-the-wall hideout. A few of his loyal followers had manage to find out that the archeologist would be going on to Shinno for a press conference and more importantly away from her brutish-thug of a husband.

He looked down at the woman cradled against his elbows and chest. Her head lolled back against his forearm and studied her face. He could see every dramatic line of her jaw, cheek and skull, her sparse upper lip and a full lower one that were parted slightly in her lucid state. For what seemed to the thousandth time he wondered why she had chosen to marry that Ranger-Rand who only ever thought with his muscles. That man could never fully understand and appreciate how intelligent this woman was, and more than likely was attracted solely to her appearance like most of inferior men viewed women. Dumb pretty things that they could take ownership of like a pet.

He would change that, he'd give her a role, a _destiny _by his side, rebuilding his old reputation. Leanne was one of the few who equaled him in intelligence and cunning, it was a shame to see her abilities be wasted by playing _housewife. _Walking outside the room there was a mirror hanging on the wall and he saw his own haggard face for the first time in months. It was thin and hollowed and his hair had grown quite a bit.

He couldn't help but laugh at his reflection, he was carrying Leanne bridal style. Letting out a loud cackle he wondered who in there right mind would fear this? He and Leanne had quite a ways to go to rebuild his old reputation of fear and control.

Yes they will learn to fear him again, they will learn to fear _Purple Eyes__!_


	4. Chapter 4

_Next morning, Oblivia._

Rand was sitting crossed-legged on the cool, oaken floor of his house, Nema sat a crossed from him shuffling a deck a cards. He had promised his daughter that he'd play a game with her, which was surprising to the ranger, Nema always preferred solitude, like her mother than indulging in a family game. Letting out a loud yawn, Rand rubbed the pads of his fingertips against his eyes. He never slept well when Leanne wasn't home; of course she rarely ever slept in bed anymore, spending most of the nights in her study. But he always privilege of waking up and then seeing her sprawled out on the rug with a half empty cup of coffee, sound asleep instead of the void that seemed to have taken her place.

"Papa do you want to be red or blue?" Nema said holding up the colored deck of cards. "Red goes first."

"I'll be blue." Rand said, stifling one more yawn. Maybe he should try same of his wife's coffee to keep him awake.

"Okay!" His daughter said happily and handed him the blue deck of cards.

Suddenly the ring tone from his Styler went off, alerting him that someone was trying to contact the ranger.

"Hold on a sec Nema, I got to take this." He said standing up. Nema nodded at her father in understanding, turning her attention back to her deck and drew a few cards into her hand.

Rand walked over the other side of the room, flipping open the Styler. "Hello? Rand Talga speaking."

"Rand!" Responded Murph's voice through the static. "I don't know how it happened! This is a disaster!"

"What's a disaster? Murph, what happened?"

"It's Leanne." Rand's stomach lurched forward at the sound of his wife's name. "She never showed up for the press conference, and I went to her hotel room, the door was opened and there were signs of a struggle."

Rand nearly dropped the styler, no not again, he couldn't loose her again. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"Positive."

"Oh God… Oh God…" He muttered pacing in circles, a habit he had formed when he was stressed. "Give me the coordinates."

"Already on it, do you want me to alert the Union?"

"Yes tell them to send Ben or Summer."

"But Rand, they already have a mission right now."

"DO YOU HONESTLY THINK I GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THAT?!" Rand yelled, loosing his temper. His daughter looked at him terrified, Nema hardly ever heard him swear. "The Union is the only reason my wife went to this f***ing conference, the least they can do is the only two rangers I know that won't f*** up finding Leanne."

The was a long silence at the other end of the call and Rand had believed he'd hung up. "Alright," said Murph after a long pause. "I'll see what I can do."

_Unknown location._

Leanne groaned and pulled her knees to her chest; her head was burning with pain. Every beat of her heart sent pulses of liquid agony into her skull. She let out a low whimper and opened her eyes a fraction, subjecting her vision to harsh and blurry light.

Beyond the crook of her arm she could make out a green metal floor, but no more. Even with her limited view she could still tell this was a bizarre, alien world, far from her cozy house of Oblivia.

Letting out a groan, Leanne pulled herself into a sitting position, regretting it immediately as the lightheadedness grew stronger. She pressed her hands to the cold, sticky ground, fighting the urge to vomit.

"Hold still." A voice, distinctly male said through the growing confusion. A pair of hands wrapped around her shoulders as her body arched upwards and expelled the contents of her stomach onto the ground. The putrid smell of vomit filled the area around them.

"R-Rand?" Leanne mumbled before she went under a fit of hacking and coughing. This man showed the same compassion and protectiveness that her husband was famous for, and the traits that she loved in him. Ease spread through her delirious state and she instinctively relaxed her body, curling her spine against the man's chest, a trusting jester that she often did to Rand when she was falling asleep. She'd be okay now, Rand was here and he would not allow harm to befall her.

The body against her shook with something she recognized as laughter. "Not quite." The voice said followed by more spasms of laughing. This confused Leanne, Rand had a deep laugh that resonated deep with in his chest, not like this high-pitched, almost sinister cackle. One of the hands slipped underneath her neck, his thumb finding the hollow of her neck and chin, and gently tilted her head away from the vile mess she made on the floor. She pressed her face into the man's chest and smell a very unfamiliar sent, she was expecting to smell coffee and laundry detergent but they're was just the odder of sweat and oil. Like a man who had seen hardships in his life and used to only ever depended on himself.

She opened her eyes and saw a filthy brown coat adorn on the man's thin body. She recoiled and looked up and the haggard face of the stranger. She yelped and pulled away from him and her back slammed against the hard ground. Pain rippled from hips and traveled upwards along her spine, to her neck. His face, no it couldn't be.

"No." Leanne said recognizing the man. "You're..."

"Dead?" He finished her sentence, walking over to her. She pulled away aimed a sloppy kick at his wondering hand. "Quite far from it, and I'm guessing you're next question would be what am I doing here? Correct? Or maybe you'll ask about you're husband and daughter?"

Alarm grew in Leanne' s stomach, forgetting her own position. "What did you do to Rand and Nema?!" Her voice becoming harsh and strong.

Purple Eyes smiled. "You are quite amazing Leanne Talga, and I have not touched your family don't worry. You are the only one I needed."

"Needed?" Leanne said narrowing her eyes. "Why the hell did you abduct me in the middle of the night, the Golden Armor is gone."

"Unfortunately it is," Purple Eyes said with a slight frown, like it genuinely bothered him. "But there is many other ways to gain immortality and power, such as the ways in your beloved ruins and scripts of the ancient world. I found one of these tales of yore particularly intriguing, which is why you are here dear."

Leanne gritted her teeth when he said "dear". Dear was a term of affection and suggested a deep bond between two people. She was not his _dear _and nor would she ever feel anything akin to love for him.

"And you think I'll help you?"

"Willing no, you proved that at our last little discussion." He said with a small chuckle, like he was remembering fond memories. "But if you'd look around," Purple Eyes said with a flamboyant wave of his hand, jestering to the enclosed space they were in. "you would see you have no where to run, no heros to save you in the nick of time, you are completely alone. And therefore I draw the conclusion that you will agree to help me."

"Guessed wrong." Leanne said while pushing herself to a wall, away from her captor.

"Maybe I did, but I believe you are an abnormally intelligent woman who will eventually come to her senses and accept my offer. I have amazing dreams Leanne, that I wish for you to be a part of." He said before standing up and briskly walking to the door. "I'll see you in an hour and a half to check on you and to bring someone to clean that mess" With that he opened the door and left, leaving Leanne in solitude.


	5. Chapter 5

Leanne huddled in the corner of the room, hugging her knees to her chest. It was frigidly cold in the cell and for the second time she wish she had worn something heavier than her business suit, the thin cotton did nothing to prevent the metal floor from seeping away her body heat. Just a few minutes ago, or at least what she thought was minuets she had no way to tell time, a young boy came in to clean up the vomit. He was more than likely a lackey of Purple Eyes and he did his job without even giving a glance in Leanne's direction leaving as quickly as he came with the harsh tang of antiseptic in the air.

She had never felt more alone in her life than in the sterile cell, it was like one of her nightmares had finally come true. A line that Purple Eyes had said kept vibrating in her mind. _'No heros to save you in the nick of time, you are completely alone.' _ And with sinking relation Leanne knew it was true, last time she had been kidnapped Nema had brought a tracker, which was the only reason why they were rescued. No one would find her this time, she had simply vanished, and she'd probably never see her family again.

_No I can't think that way._ Leanne thought to herself, she had to keep her faith and hope in Rand, he was not one to give in. At the thought of her husband Leanne felt her heart drop and absent-mindedly fidgeted with her wedding ring. It wasn't very ornate, just a thin band of silver with a small semi-precious stone imbedded into it, but meant so much to her. They had so much to fight for, eighth years ago Rand proposed to her, then their promise to each other at their marriage, the birth of their child and every moment in between, they never gave up on each other. Both of them showed their bravery and devotion to one and other, and she knew Rand would rather die before admitting he's lost his wife, they same way she refused to believe Mewtwo had killed him. Yes she'd be brave; she would see Rand and Nema again, she _had _to.

* * *

Purple Eyes watched the young man standing in front of him with rapt attention. He was a tall and rather impressive youth with shaggy blond hair falling over his forehead and eyes, he would have been considered attractive if he weren't a fugitive. He leaned against the door to Leanne's cell, his dark red eyes glowing with rage.

"This is an insane idea." The boy spat at him with blatant hostility, Purple Eyes just smiled at him

"Now, now Kenneth we mustn't be rude."

"Don't call me that." He hissed, clenching his teeth.

"My apologizes _Red Eyes._" He corrected himself with an apologetic wave of his hand. "But I believe you are failing to see the importance of Ms. Talga in this plan, she is essential."

Red Eyes shook his head, fighting the urge to smack the other man's face. "No I'm 'failing' to see the point of this _entire _idea. Your psychotic plan is a bunch of shit that will get us either killed or arrested."

Sighing Purple Eyes gave him a look like someone would give to a misinformed child. "She possesses the knowledge to decipher the legends that could grant us the powers of gods, unlimited power!"

Red Eyes shook his head again and pushed past the older man. "I don't want the power of a deity or immortality, I'm done with your shit." Purple Eyes sighed as he stalked passed him. He could have been useful on his quest but the boy had grown soft, not willing to take the risks he used too, most likely from the influences of Blue Eyes and that infuriating girl Summer. It seemed like the only person really on his side was Leanne, and even she was reluctant. He fervently hoped that he'd be able to convince her to join his cause, and to see the imprisonment that her _husband _had her in, stifling her personality and nature. Leanne deserved a man who viewed her as an equal, his inseparable other half, maybe she'd see that in him. The idea caused warmth to spread from the back of his neck and cheeks and he pushed it away for now.

He ran his fingertips against the metal door behind him, tracing small circles on its glossy surface. There was no denying the fact he harbored a small affection for the Archeologist, it was easier to admit here in a dark underground tunnel where the rest of the world thought him dead. Leanne was a strong, admirable woman who would rather die on her feet than live on her knees and he knew that it would be hard to get her to join him, but he'd get through to her.

His hand inched down the door and found its handle, his fingers wounding around the strip of metal. Releasing a low breath he pulled open the door and entered the cell. Leanne was crouching in the farthest left corner, her hands pressed to her knees so hard her knuckles turned white. She shot upwards onto her feet at the sight of him; her skirt ruffling up around her knees and her hair had been released, pooling around her shoulders in unkempt strands. He felt his heart rate accelerate when he saw her. She was the definition of defiance, and she was _stunning._

"Miss Talga," he said, trying to force the coldness into his voice, but wondered if it was actually convincing.

Leanne didn't respond but just raised her head and clenched her jaw, as if daring him to say more. And for the first time in a while Purple Eyes was daunted and by _her _no less.

Coughing to clear his throat, he stared back her. "I've come to check on you like I promised." His words were greeted by silence yet again and he felt like he was loosing this battle of wills. "Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"No." Leanne responded, her voice so quipped and strong the word felt more like disembogues sound than an actual word.

Purple Eyes nodded and brought out his back up plan, a small book the size of a diary from his right coat pocket. It was ratty, old and smelled of mildew from water damage, but he saw Leanne's eyes widen at the sight of it, her gaze hungry and starved. A smirk tugged at the edge of his lips as he set it down on the ground, he knew how to break her. Leanne was a person who craved knowledge, who would cave in for the sake of banishing ignorance from her mind. The ancient text of the written faced upwards has he step back from the book.

"I brought you something to keep you busy." Purple Eyes said, he knew she'd give in to temptation then he'd just need to convince her to share. "I'll come back later with a meal and see if you'll willing to talk." Leanne just crossed her arms and stared past him. He subconsciously pulled the neckline of his coat, trying to regain the composure. Why the hell was she so intimidating to him? He was clearly in control of this situation but he felt small and at her mercy under her glare. Deciding he had hesitated for far too long, Purple Eyes turned around to leave, and he could of sworn he felt her eyes burn into him as he disappeared behind the door.


	6. Chapter 6

Leanne sighed peacefully in her sleep and burrowed her nose deeper into the fabric of the pillow. Rand smiled at the sight of his wife, she had an odd way of sleeping, lying on her belly with her face and pillow nestled in the crook of her arms. Their daughter was curled under the covers next to her, with only a flash of cyan hair not hidden. Nema had trouble falling asleep that night, complaining of nightmares about her mother, so Rand brought her with him to keep vigil on Leanne. The sight would have been comforting if not for the fact that his wife's head was heavily bandaged and they were in a room of Snowpoint's hospital.

Rand yawned and leaned back into plastic chair he was sitting on. The alarm clock on the nightstand read 2:43 am in bright red numbers, causing his headache to worsen. He wished Leanne would wake up already, he longed to hear her voice and watching her still body made her seem more dead than alive. Moister prickled at the edge of his eyes and he subconsciously rubbed it away with rough palm of his hand, he was not one to cry. But the thought of loosing Leanne, the person who had changed his life and who he loved wholeheartedly and unwaveringly, was growing.

Goddamit why wouldn't she just wake up?

More tears threatened to spill, so he cupped his forehead with his right hand. His other traveled aimlessly to his wife, resting on the brunt of her neck with his thumb curling against the hollow were her jaw and neck met. Rand's body shuttered slightly with a repressed sob, he would not cry, he couldn't. Crying would mean that he was mourning over his wife and that she'd be dead. Leanne was breathing and functioning, she was just asleep not dead.

As if sensing her husband's distress, one of Leanne's slide from underneath the pillow and next to his forearm, her fingers curling around the crook of his elbow. Rand stiffened at the trill of icy fingers along his skin and looked at his wife. He could see the fierce blue of her irises under half-lidded eyes, her gaze fogged with the affect of the painkillers.

"Rand?" Leanne asked, her voice thick and heavy, her fingers fumbling up his arm, seeking his hand. Rand heart gave a quick beat of joy as he clasped his hand around hers, unable to speak.

"Rand?" Leanne asked again, this time her voice sounding much deeper and different than her own, much to Rand's confusion.

"RAND, WAKE UP!" The voice said again followed by a rough shove to his shoulder. Rand bolted upwards and opened his eyes to Ben standing above him wearing a worried expression.

He was lying on the floor of his hotel room in Snowpoint city.

It was a dream.

"Rand, are you okay?" Ben ask while kneeling beside the man as he struggled up into sitting position. Rand only nodded and clutched his forehead in his hands.

"Did you find him?" Came an other voice and a young woman appeared from the door, switching on the light Rand could see it was Summer.

"Yeah he's here." Ben called over his shoulder to his partner before turning back to the older ranger. "I'm sorry for barging into your room but we just got here and we couldn't find you. Nema was down in the lobby and she said told us your room number."

Rand gave an impatient shrug. "It's fine," he said curtly before trying to stand up, using the dresser for support. He feel slightly forward and Ben instinctively lent forward to steady him but was waved off.

Summer walked towards the two with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed, a look Ben knew all too well. "Rand, when was the last time you slept?"

"You just saw." The senior ranger growled, clearly not in the mood to argue with her. Summer just snorted.

"Leanne wouldn't want you to push yourself this hard."

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'D WANT!" Rand shouted, going absolutely ballistic at the mention of his wife's name. The anger instantly faded from his face and crushing sadness took it's place on his countenance. He looked years older than what he was, his raven hair askew and his beard overgrown and in desperate need of a shave, he looked absolutly broken. "I'm sorry."

Summer just shook her head and wrapped her arms around the man's shoulder, her hands resting at the nape of his neck . "We'll find her Rand, I swear we will," she muttered. Rand stiffened under her touch, he wasn't use to being embrace by any other than his wife, but he hesitantly pressed his hand to her back before pulling away and nodding to her. Summer smiled softly and grabbed above his wrist in a purely platonic way. "Lets go check around town and see if we can find anything, Ben go check out Leanne's room again, okay?"

Ben opened his mouth to argue that there would be no point in going back to Leanne's room, the police had already search for evidence and found none, but Summer clenched her jaw and shook her head. As she guided Rand out of the room, her lips hovered over Ben's ear making a slight flush creep up his neck at the heat of her breath.

"Just do it, I want to keep an eye on Rand and staying here will make things worse." She whispered while tugging Rand, who didn't even acknowledge that fact she had stopped and just stared blankly into space.

"I will." Ben promised to his partner as she left.

_An hour later~ Nema's POV_

Nema sat on the wooden banister of the hotel's porch, swinging her legs against the railing. Snow had begun to fall in small fluffy flurries, coating the pavement and walkways in white. Nema had never seen snow before in the tropic climate of Oblivia, but it just seemed to make the town a dreary puddle of grey and white. Her mother had told her that it started snowing like this on the day she met Papa, Nema knew the story by heart like the legends Mom use to tell her at night.

It all started years ago on a day like today her mother would begin, Papa had just graduated from Ranger school and was assinged at the base near Snowpoint city, Mom had lived there all her life and was sitting outside her house as the young ranger did his first patrol. Mom said she had barely notice him that day, mistaking him for one of the older rangers but according to Papa he had noticed her quite a lot. He said that he was attracted to Mom not because of how pretty she was (which he latered testified to be too as well) but the way she smiled and held herself. For six months Papa had he fell in love with the way she read books at the library, the way she forrowed her brown when she was confused, the way she yelled at him when she was annoyed and it was hard for him because Mom didn't believe him, that she didn't believe love existed. But like ever story they had a happy ending, until now.

Nema bit back a sob, she wanted her mom back.

"Are you alright?" Asked a voice from behind her. Turning around she saw an older boy with with blonde hair leaning against the wall of the hotel. Nema nodded, normally she would be wary of strangers but greif clouded her judgement.

"I'm fine," she said and brushed off some snow from the fabric of her jeans. "I just miss my mom."

The stranger nodded, something like sympathy flashing in his odd red eyes. "You look a lot like her, you know?"

This caused alarm to grown in Nema's stomach, how did he know what her mom looked like? "Did you know my mom?" The boy shook his head."

"I've met her but I'm a friend of Summer." He said, pushing his bangs from his face as he looked at Nema.

"I didn't know Summer had friend other than Ben."

"She does, in fact I'd like you to take something to her." The stranger answered, pulling out a folded sheet of paper and handed it to Nema. Nema looked up at the bizzare man and opened her mouth to ask why but he stood up and stepped down the stairs, she was lost for words. He stopped in front of the sidewalk before looking back to her. "I'm trusting you Nema Talga, its very important," and with that, he left.

**Sorry if this chapter was weird, I was trying to give Nema a younger voice than the others and I think it came out odd. Oh well, review!**


End file.
